


Dance

by HungryLibrary



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, a little dark but nothing happens outside of canon, alternate moment and character interpretation, right before the fight got interrupted, the dance episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 04:10:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5319959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HungryLibrary/pseuds/HungryLibrary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Cinder finds a new piece is on the board, and decides it would be ever so much fun to play with it again someday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance

The child’s hair is dark, like crow feathers dipped in blood.

Cinder wants to see real blood drip down from those bangs. The contrast against pale skin and mirror bright eyes would be shocking, vivid, even better than the sight of red painted on Cinder’s own hands.

It could happen.

The girl is fifteen and already killing monsters. 

Just a slight push could director her, just the thought that she was saving more lives than she was taking, and Cinder could watch as her wish came true.

Her finger tips tingle at the thought.

-

Cinder didn’t need her semblance to leave lines of fire on Ruby’s skin.

Her eyes did that all on their own, creeping heat of her stare passing through skin and bone like the press of a bonfire- She saw straight through Ruby and knew. She knew Ruby remembered, saw that it was pointless to bother with a disguise.

But Cinder still didn’t take off the mask.

Teasing Ruby, taunting her.

Silver eyes narrowed.

When Crescent Rose struck out next, the scythe was aimed more at that mask than the woman wearing it.

-

A thrill flickered through Cinder at the lack of surprise, the lack of fear.

The girl was nearly as sharp as her blade.

Ruby had done so well when they met in the corridor that neither Emerald nor Mercury had even thought her important enough to keep track of tonight.  

She had played cool, played friendly, and now she fought Cinder even while at a disadvantage- because she must know whatever plan Cinder had would be at risk if a murder investigation began picking apart every inch of Beacon.

But here she was, all on her own.

She had not told her friends, she had not brought them, which meant…

Cinder was not the only one in the habit of wearing masks.

-

The slow smile when Cinder looks up was a like a counterweight pulling Ruby’s own lips into a frown.

There was too much heat between them.

Too much tension, little wires connecting them at every joint, and it reminds her of Ozpin’s words, how closely a battle and a dance could mirror each other.

She doesn’t like the implication that she and Cinder would make good partners at anything.

She doesn’t like that this fight is the most fun she’s had all night.

-

In the end Ironwood’s arrival ruins the fun.

The clock strikes twelve, Cinder returns to the dance and a slightly singed Ruby follows soon after.

One of their smiles is genuine. One of their smiles is fake.

Both of them wish they hadn’t been interrupted.

_Next time_ , Cinder promises from across the dance floor as the girl’s team crowds around her in worry, as Ruby rubs the back of her neck and laughs before nudging them back into the party.  _Next time she won’t be fighting against me._

Fire sparked in Cinder’s eyes as she smiled.

Oh what an ironic chess piece the little rose would be.


End file.
